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(No Model.) S

P. E. ROBERTS.

BOOT FRAME FOR VEHICLES.

Patented Apr. 10, 1888 WITNESSES. 26)? A! ttorney! NIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. ROBERTS, OF AUSTINTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONEHALF TO PHILIP M. KROEOK, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOT-FRAME FOR VEHlCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,933 dated April 10, 1888.

Application filed December 2'7, 1887. Serial No. 259,062. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. RoBERTs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Austintown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boot-Frames; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention secured in operative position on an open-back buggy. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view of the rear half of the buggy. Fig. 3 is a perspective detail view of the boot-frame with a part of its covering, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the spring.

The same numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention consists in a new andimproved removable boot-frame, which is designed to be used on buggies having open backs or on any vehicle-bodies where it is desired to cover the boot or back; and my invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the several parts by their designating-numerals, 1 indicates the body of an open-back buggy to which my invention is shown as applied, and 2 indicates the seat of the same, which seat is secured on the usual seat-risers, 3 3.

The boot-frame consists of a flat iron or metal frame, 4, of substantially square form, the forward fiat side piece of which is adapted to be secured to the under side of the rear part of the seat-bottom, being formed with the longitudinal slots 5 5. The forward sides, 6 6, of the frame 4 are then bent down to follow the inclination of the seat-risers 3 3, and at the bottom of the risers, or at any suitable point, the sides of the frame 4 are hinged at 7 7, so that the flat rear part of the frame can be readily raised to open the boot. The frame 4is always made of such size that it will coincide with and extend over the upper edge of the rear open part of the buggy, as shown in the drawings. This frame, which is covered with any suitable material that the maker may wish to use,

is secured to the buggy by the small turn-buttons 8 8, which are secured, as shown, in the under side of the rear part of the seat 2, the

fiat heads of these tu rn-buttons being turned so k that they will pass through the longitudinal slots 5 5 in the forward upper flat side piece of the frame 4 when the frame is being placed in position, and when these flat buttons have passed through the said slots they are turned at right angles across the said slots, so that they will effectually lock and hold the upper end of the bootframe in position on the buggy. To the under forward side of the rear crosspiece of the boot-frame 4 is riveted or otherwise firmly secured a loop or staple, 9*, which, when the rear part of the frame 4 is turned down into its closed position, will extend down within the buggy close to the inner side of the rear end of the same.

10 indicates a fiat spring which is secured within the body of the buggy, at the back or rear end of the same, by means of a screw, 11, screwed down through the lower end of the spring, the body or main part of the spring being bent up at right angles parallel with the rear end of the buggy, and being also bent near its upper end to form the loop or catch 12, as. shown. Now, when the upper forward end of the frame 4 has been secured by the turn-buttons to the under side of the buggyseat, the rear part of the frame is turned down into its closed position, when the loop 9 will be engaged by the bent upper end of the spring 10, and the covered frame will be thus held down over the rear part of the buggy, so as to effectually close and cover the boot, as will be readily seen.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. It will be seen that this invention makes a much neater appearance than the ordinary boot. It is simple and strong in construction and can be manufactured at a small cost. It

I do not Wish to limit myselfto the precise construction shown herein, as various small changes may be made to suit different forms of bodies to which the invention is to be applied, &c., without departing in the least from the spirit of my invention. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-

, The combination, with a vehicle having the turn-button secured beneath the rear portion of its seat, and the spring formed with a catch at its upper end secured to the rear end piece of the vehicle, of the covered boot -fra1ne, hinged at its sides, formed at its forward end :5 with the longitudinal slots, and having the loop at its rear end adapted to engage with the spring-catch, as and for the purpose herein shown and specified.

In testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my 20 own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

W. A. WERNER, L. W. RAVER. 

